A Bride for 100 Days

twenty-seven: what matters

"Already done," another officer called. 

I took Levi into my arms and he buried his wet face in my shoulder. The weight of him steadied me. "Jeb," I urged. "Sit down, please. Before you fall."

The female officer helped him to the chair. "I'm Tanya," she introduced herself. "Kyra's roommate. You must be Alice and Levi."

Kyra's roommate? I lifted my eyebrows but kept soothing Levi. 

"I woke up when you left the bed," Jeb reached for me and put a hand on my hip. "The next thing I knew, someone hit me with... something..."

"Louisville Slugger," another officer called from the bedroom.

"I must of blacked out for a bit. I don't know why the door alarm didn't go off but the IFTTT panic button worked great once I could roll over and get my phone."

The ambulances arrived and they loaded Jeb up. I carried Levi into the back with him, daring anyone to say anything. 

No one did.

"I've suggested a loyalty card program to the hospital," Jay said as he entered our emergency department bay just after we arrived. "You two will be our test cases. One more visit this month and you get a gift certificate for an Edible Arrangement."

Jeb reached up and pounded his brother's fist. Like this was funny. I wanted to smack them. 

A trim, elegant woman walked in and Jay immediately made introductions. "Mamá, this is Alicia. Alice, this is my mother-in-law Bettina. She's helping with our boys tonight because Queenie's short staffed. She has offered to take Levi back to my place so he can sleep with his cousins."

"Thank you," I looked down at Levi, who was clinging to my shirt and fighting sleep. I stroked his chubby cheek and decided it would probably be best. He knew we were all OK, now.

I handed him over regretfully and he didn't fight me. Bettina smiled down at Levi and then turned to Jay. "He looks good. You are doing well. Recover quickly."

 "Si, Mamá," Jeb agreed quickly. 

Then she gave me a long, appraising, look and turned back to Jay. "Give her a robe, at least."

"Si, Mamá," Jay echoed immediately. 

She swept out of the bay with Levi. 

I looked down and realized that Levi had wet my shirt so much that my nipples were obvious through the t-shirt. I crossed my arms with embarrassment. 

Jeb laughed and then grabbed his head and winced. I reached out my hand and he grabbed it, weaving our fingers together and squeezing. 

Jay pulled a hospital gown out of a cabinet and handed it to me without looking. I pulled it over my shirt gratefully then put my hand back in Jeb's. It was like the physical connection between us overrode all the other signals my body was getting. I could still feel the shock and exhaustion pressing but it felt farther away. 

A pair of police officers arrived in our bay next. They talked to us for a while, getting information like the PIN on the Scout security system Jeb had. He also walked them through the process to access the footage from the Nest cameras. 

I stayed quiet throughout the whole interview. No one was asking me anything. The senior officer's eyes were looking straight straight at Jeb. I couldn't be sure what he was thinking. 

I wanted to know about Garth. I wanted to say I had no choice even though my heart was squeezing with guilt from pulling the trigger. 

The more I listened, the more I couldn't believe it all.